A one-year-old boy in US died last week after he accidently ingested the e-cigarette liquid.
The child from Fort Plain, whose name hasn't been revealed, was rushed to the Little Falls Hospital in New York after he reportedly emptied the glass bottle of liquid nicotine and became "unresponsive." He was declared dead around 6pm, according to Timesunion.
The police told the website that the boy's death was a "tragic incident" and also highlighted the risk associated with the lack of a child-proof cap in liquid nicotine.
Citing the hidden risks, authorities at the American Association of Poison Control centers (AAPCC) have recommended the government to introduce child-proof packaging for liquid nicotine sold across the country.
"One teaspoon of liquid nicotine could be lethal to a child, and smaller amounts can cause severe illness, often requiring trips to the emergency department," a statement appeared on the AAPCC website, read.
Data shows that the number of liquid nicotine ingestion among children has tripled within one year from 460 in 2012 to 1,543 in 2013. By 30 November this year, this number has reached 3,638.
E-cigarettes were first launched in 2004 to help people quit smoking. Since then, thousands of reports and studies, both supporting and criticising the product, have been released.
Supporters claim that the product is safer than traditional cigarettes as it delivers less nicotine and is fully free from cancer-causing toxins or other harmful substances involved with cigarettes. However, studies have shown that e-cigarettes cannot help quit smoking, but make youngsters dual smokers.
Early this year, health officials released a warning saying e-cigarettes can cause coma and death. The report mentioned some paediatric hospitalisations caused by the e-cigarette liquid exposure: headache, vomiting, fast heartbeat, sweating, hyperactivity, flushing, dizziness and diarrhoea.
